Skip to main content
Items Similar to Ancient Egyptian Bust of a Goddess in Red-Orange Quartzite
Ancient Egyptian Sandstone Relief of Hapi, Bearded Deity, 1307 BC to 1070 BC
Ancient Egyptian Sandstone Relief of Hapi, Bearded Deity, 1307 BC to 1070 BC
Ancient Egyptian Limestone Sculptor's Model
Ancient Egyptian Limestone Sculptor's Model
Ancient Egypt Head of the dignitary “Udjahormeehet” in basalt
Ancient Egypt Head of the dignitary “Udjahormeehet” in basalt
Ancient Greek Terracotta Head of a Goddess, 480 BC
Ancient Greek Terracotta Head of a Goddess, 480 BC
Archaic Greek Terracotta Bust of a Young Woman (Kore)
Archaic Greek Terracotta Bust of a Young Woman (Kore)
Ancient Egyptian Painted Sandstone Head of an Official
Ancient Egyptian Painted Sandstone Head of an Official
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 13

Ancient Egyptian Bust of a Goddess in Red-Orange Quartzite

$645,000
£488,505.22
€570,601.28
CA$923,306.07
A$935,957.49
CHF 532,345.05
MX$11,393,245.75
NOK 6,243,890.74
SEK 6,259,150.73
DKK 4,265,246.62

About the Item

An exquisite ancient Egyptian hardstone bust of a female deity, with tripartite wig and Usekh collar, displaying all the hallmarks of early Nineteenth Dynasty art. Described by the distinguished archaeologist and curator Dorothea Arnold as a ‘quartzite masterpiece’, this bust is a beautifully modelled example of hardstone statuary from Egypt’s New Kingdom. The goddess, with a serene expression on her face, has sensitively carved, high cheekbones, plump cheeks, and large almond-shaped eyes beneath gently arched brows. She wears a tripartite wig finely incised with narrow, parallel lines, and an Usekh, the broad, striated collar, across the upper chest. Her naturalistic features reflect the post-Amarna artistic tradition, while also being paralleled in the statuary of Seti I and Ramesses II. Carved from a block of rich orange quartzite, indicating an exceptionally wealthy patron, it was likely created as a votive, for display within a temple. In antiquity, the complete statue would have shown the goddess either standing or seated, presented alone or accompanied as part of a divine group. With such unusually sensitive modelling, she is an iconic and masterful example of New Kingdom hardstone sculpture. In modernity, she has formed a central part of two of the most important art collections of the 21st century: the Thalassic Collection and the Sheikh Al Thani Collection. Notably, while in the former, she was exhibited at, and even selected as the cover piece for, the famed exhibition at the Michael C. Carlos Museum, The Collector’s Eye, Masterpieces of Egyptian Art from The Thalassic Collection, Ltd. in 2002. Provenance Likely European private collection, early 20th century, as indicated by the previous wooden base probably by Kichizo Inagaki (1876-1951); Maîtres Laurin, Guilloux, Buffetaud, and Tailleur at Hôtel Drouot, Salle no. 6, 20 May 1987, Paris, lot 315; Subsequently, the Thalassic Collection (Theodore Halkedis, 1932-2001 and Aristea S. Halkedis, 1933-2014) New York; Acquired by Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed Al Thani (1966-2014) from the above through a private treaty sale from Christie’s on 25 June 2002. Exhibited ‘The Collector’s Eye: Masterpieces of Egyptian Art from The Thalassic Collection,’ Michael C. Carlos Museum, 21 April 2001 - 6 January 2002. Published The Collector’s Eye, Masterpieces of Egyptian Art from The Thalassic Collection, Ltd. Michael C. Carlos Museum, Atlanta, 2002, p.29-34, no. 16. Condition Unrestored, preserved as shown. With wear and losses commensurate with age. Mounted on a bespoke bronze display base. Articheck report available. Please note that this item is a work of art and is thus exempt from US reciprocal tariffs. ArtAncient are dealers in rare wonders from the formation of the Solar System to late antiquity, discovering, studying and placing objects in extraordinary collections. Please contact us for more details on this piece.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 14.38 in (36.5 cm)Width: 7.88 in (20 cm)Depth: 7.88 in (20 cm)
  • Style:
    Egyptian (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Stone
  • Place of Origin:
    Egypt
  • Period:
    15th Century and Earlier
  • Date of Manufacture:
    New Kingdom, Nineteenth Dynasty, c. 1290 - 1270 BC
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: 434011stDibs: LU1052249309002

More From This Seller

View All
Egyptian Stone Relief of Man and Wife

Egyptian Stone Relief of Man and Wife

Egyptian Stone Relief of Man and Wife

Located in London, GB

This painted limestone relief is an exquisite example of New Kingdom relief carving from the apogee of Egyptian artistic production. Carved in raised relief - a labour-intensive tech...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Egyptian Egyptian Busts

Materials

Limestone

Ancient Greek Terracotta Head of a Goddess, 480 BC

Ancient Greek Terracotta Head of a Goddess, 480 BC

Ancient Greek Terracotta Head of a Goddess, 480 BC

Located in London, GB

A finely sculpted terracotta head of a goddess, probably Demeter. Her soft, subtle smile and almond-shaped eyes are characteristic of the Late Archaic style and suggest a date of pro...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Italian Classical Greek Busts

Materials

Terracotta

Ancient Cypriot Colossal Head from Votive Sculpture, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ancient Cypriot Colossal Head from Votive Sculpture, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ancient Cypriot Colossal Head from Votive Sculpture, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Located in London, GB

The front section from a colossal Archaic Cypriot sculpture, preserving the sweeping eyes and characteristic smile of Cypro-Archaic art. Discovered by Luigi Palma di Cesnola (1832...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Cypriot Prehistoric Antiquities

Materials

Limestone

Ancient Egyptian Monumental Temple Sphinxes

Ancient Egyptian Monumental Temple Sphinxes

Ancient Egyptian Monumental Temple Sphinxes

Located in London, GB

These monumental limestone sphinxes, carved with the idealised visage of Pharaoh Nectanebo I (c. 379-360 BC) atop a lion’s body, are icons of ancient Egyptian culture. Depicted in th...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Egyptian Mounted Objects

Materials

Limestone

Monumental Ancient Egyptian Limestone Sarcophagus Lid, Ptolemaic Period

Monumental Ancient Egyptian Limestone Sarcophagus Lid, Ptolemaic Period

Monumental Ancient Egyptian Limestone Sarcophagus Lid, Ptolemaic Period

Located in London, GB

The upper part of a monumental anthropoid limestone sarcophagus, finely carved and preserving several hieroglyphs from a spell for immortality from the Book of the Dead. The lid depi...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Egyptian Egyptian Mounted Objects

Materials

Limestone

Cypriot Bronze Age Terracotta Plank Idol

Cypriot Bronze Age Terracotta Plank Idol

Cypriot Bronze Age Terracotta Plank Idol

Located in London, GB

This extremely well-preserved, stylised Cypriot plank idol is an iconic form of human representation from Bronze Age Cyprus. Made from burnished earthenware with lime-filled incision...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Cypriot Prehistoric Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Terracotta

You May Also Like

Ancient Egyptian Painted Sandstone Head of an Official

Ancient Egyptian Painted Sandstone Head of an Official

Ancient Egyptian Painted Sandstone Head of an Official

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

A beautifully preserved example, this superb sandstone head depicts an official wearing a smooth shoulder-length headcloth, over large naturalistic ears and fleshy, round face. The...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Egyptian Egyptian Antiquities

Materials

Sandstone

Ancient Egypt, Top of a concubine in limestone

Ancient Egypt, Top of a concubine in limestone

Ancient Egypt, Top of a concubine in limestone

Located in BARCELONA, ES

Provenance - Private Collection, James Gordon Hanes Jr., North Carolina (USA) Acquired from the Mathias Komor Gallery, New York, in the late 1950s and early 1960s. With a Komor Galle...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Egyptian Egyptian Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Limestone

Ancient Egypt Bust of a Naophorus statue in Stone

Ancient Egypt Bust of a Naophorus statue in Stone

Ancient Egypt Bust of a Naophorus statue in Stone

Located in BARCELONA, ES

32.3 cm with the stand. Provenance: - Galerie Samarcande, Paris, France, since 1973. - Drouot Richelieu, Paris, October 7 - 8, 1996, lot 324. - Private collection, Boulonnais, Fran...

Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Egyptian Egyptian Busts

Materials

Stone

19th Century Egyptian Black Stone Pharaoh Bust Statue

19th Century Egyptian Black Stone Pharaoh Bust Statue

19th Century Egyptian Black Stone Pharaoh Bust Statue

Located in Labrit, Landes

Antique Egyptian stone bust 19th century This sculpture was purchased at a wine-producing château in Bordeaux. Good condition with good patina due to age. Shipping: 14 / 12 / 15 c...

Category

Antique 19th Century French Egyptian Busts

Materials

Stone

Sculpture, Sandstone Bust in the Taste of Ancient Egypt, XXth Century.

Sculpture, Sandstone Bust in the Taste of Ancient Egypt, XXth Century.

Sculpture, Sandstone Bust in the Taste of Ancient Egypt, XXth Century.

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Sculpture, sculpted sandstone bust in the taste of ancient Egypt, XXth century. Bust, carved sandstone sculpture in the taste of ancient Egypt, 20th century. Dimensions : H: 58cm, ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Egyptian Egyptian Busts

Materials

Sandstone